'Many signs' Khamenei is dead, claims Israeli PM

(Web Desk) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there were signs that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in an attack on his compound as part of US-Israeli strikes.

"This morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran... and there are many signs that he is no longer alive," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

There was no immediate Iranian confirmation of his fate. The United States and Israel carried out military strikes on Iran on Saturday, targeting its top leaders and plunging the Middle East into a conflict that President Donald Trump said would end a security threat to the US and give Iranians a chance to topple their rulers.

‘We feel that that is a correct story’: Trump

The US president has told ABC News that he believes “a lot” of Iranian leadership has been killed in US and Israeli strikes.

When asked directly if the administration believes that Iranian leadership were killed, Trump replied: “A lot of it is, yeah. But we don’t know all, but a lot of it is. Was a very powerful strike.”

He said the attacks will continue “as long as we wanted to”.

Seven high-ranking Iranian officials killed: Israel

Effie Defrin, the spokesperson for the Israeli military, has just made a televised address in which he claimed Israel has killed several top Iranian officials in attacks on Iran.

The most prominent of those Israel claims to have killed is Ali Shamkhani, former secretary of Iran’s National Security Council and close adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Defrin also claimed to have killed Mohammad Pakpour, a commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Amir Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister.

He added that Israeli warplanes targeted several locations across Iran, especially missile launcher sites.

Defrin did not define a timeframe when a reporter asked how long military operations would continue.

Khamenei alive and well: Iran

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim and Mehr news agencies are reporting that the country’s Supreme Leader Khamenei is “steadfast and firm in commanding the field”.

This contradicts reports from Reuters and Israeli media that he was killed today in the US-Israeli air strikes.

Khamenei, 86, became Iran’s highest authority in 1989, following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini. As supreme leader, he held ultimate control over Iran’s political, military and religious institutions, shaping domestic policy and guiding foreign relations.

Iran has launched missile attack against Israel after a “major combat operation” was commenced by the US and Israel on Saturday, pushing the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation and further dimming hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West.

According to reports, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones, which triggered air raid sirens across Israel under operation “Fateh Khyber”.

The attack reportedly targeted northern Israel, including the area of Hafizah, where explosions were heard. The capital, Tel Aviv, also experienced blasts, indicating the scale of the Iranian counter strikes.

Iranian military officials confirmed the launch of numerous missiles and drones, which have struck key locations in Israel.

In addition to Israel, Iranian missiles were reported to have targeted several US bases in the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain. Explosions were heard in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain, where the American Navy's Fifth Fleet service center was reportedly hit.

The story is developing